EU vote means MPs get even more time off

TrADeS union leaders demanded that David Cameron recall MPs from their easter break to make an emergency Commons statement on the steel crisis.

The Prime Minister, who had to terminate a holiday in Lanzarote, was having none of it. After all, why should he change our parliamentarians’ lazy habits?

By the time Parliament rises for the summer recess in July, MPs will have been at the Westminster coal face for just 147 days of the previous 12 months, making it one of the shortest Parliamentary terms in recent political history.

True, they’re back at Westminster next Monday — after a marathon easter recess. But they break up again for Whitsun on Thursday, May 26, and won’t be back until Monday, June 6.

After that, it has emerged, they’re getting an additional two weeks off because of the eU referendum on June 23.

They then head for the beaches on July 21 for the summer holidays. They may return for a couple of days in September, but will be given another three weeks off for the party conference season.

And to think that last year MPs awarded themselves an 11 per cent pay rise to £74,000.